A Maryland sheriff's deputy who fired 12 shots at a man who attacked him with a tree branch will not be charged in the man's death, Maryland prosecutors reported Monday.
Sgt. Frank Pruitt, according to prosecutors, took legal actions against Kevin Costlow, 52, the morning of Feb. 6 along a roadway in Montgomery County. The two had squared off after the deputy responded to a radio call about a motorist — Costlow — who had caused two crashes before getting out of his car and trying to attack people at the scene with what initially was reported to be a baseball bat, prosecutors said.
Family members of Costlow, a retired information technology executive, have questioned why the encounter unfolded as it did.
“Kevin Costlow was a responsible and respected family man and business leader,” their attorney, Timothy Maloney, said in a statement. “He lived an exceptional life without any violence or criminality of any kind. This is what makes the tragic events of February 6 so inexplicable to his family.”
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at first I was thinking there should be no way the cop needs to shoot. Honestly the first shot was the least justified, in a weird way. The next 6 or so were pretty understandable - from the way the man absorbed them, it looked like he could have had a ballistic vest on. If someone has a ballistic vest on that's a red flag. FYI I'm not saying he had a ballistic vest. Was probably on stimulants. But the appearance of a guy absorbing bullets with no effect would prompt most of us to shoot more.
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